This invention relates, in general, to optoelectronic devices and, in particular, to scanning mixed media information cards, storing the information, and displaying the scanned information in a variety of display formats.
Currently, business cards are made of paper materials having a wide range of information disposed thereon. Business people routinely exchange these business cards for a variety of reasons, such as to introduce themselves and to provide relevant information (e.g., a telephone number, a fax number, an address, an E-mail address, or the like), thereby promoting business contacts and communications. Since these business cards are distributed routinely, a large number of business cards are accumulated over a relatively short period of time. As a result of the large number or volume of business cards exchanged, the information on the business card is not easily utilized.
Typically, these business cards are kept in a hard copy format and stored in a storage device, such as a file, a folder, a book, or the like. Generally, these storage devices are large and bulky, thus not enabling the business cards to be easily transported or used. Further, since current business cards typically are in a hard copy format and not in an electronic format, sorting of the business cards through a variety of key words is not achievable, thus making conventional business cards not as convenient or usable as would be desired.
It can be readily seen that the present or current use of business cards have severe limitations. Also, it is evident that current methods of collecting, sorting, and using, business cards are not as efficient or as useful as is desirable. Therefore, an article coupling electronic format to business cards that is cost effective, simplistic, portable, and highly manufacturable would be highly desirable.